The meeting of Nice (Monday June 11th to Wednesday June 13th) is now on the tracks. We already have a significant number of registrations and the meeting is well supported by our commercial partners. The second announcement brochure has been mailed and more than 160 abstracts have been sent through the websites www.vascularaccesssociety.com and www.sfav.org. Some abstracts will be allocated to one of the 9 other languages which will be allotted a 2-hour dedicated session Monday 11th.

The meeting program aims to offer a fair balance between invited lectures, free presentations, workshops, nephrology, surgery, endovascular and imaging topics. In addition, a full day (Tuesday 12th) will be dedicated to central catheters in parallel to arteriovenous access sessions. We also have the pleasure to welcome a significant number of Japanese colleagues.

The Convention centre has a downtown location and most hotels (and the sea…) are at walking distance. The airport is located relatively close to the city itself and Nice is connected by direct flights to the majority of European capitals. The risk of last minute event (strikes…) is extremely low since France will be inaugurating its new President, with general elections planned June 10 and 17th!

Finally, try to attend the General Assembly of the Vascular Access Society (Wednesday 13th at 12.30) since important issues have to be discussed with elections for renewal of the Board.

Bienvenue en France, bienvenue en Provence, bienvenue à Nice!

Nice, France

Currently, medical specialists working in Europe and abroad have to update their medical registration regularly. This update usually takes place every five years. One of the requirements needed for this update is that the candidate can give proof of adequate continuous education.

Education may include attendance of courses and conferences covering the field in which the specialist works. Every year, the Vascular Access Society (VAS) organizes either a vascular access course or a vascular access conference. So far, the VAS has not routinely applied for the assignment of so called CME-credits (CME = continuous medical education) for their activities. Although national medical societies may prefer that organizers of conferences and courses apply for CME accreditation before the educational activity takes place, it is usually possible that a request for accreditation may be submitted afterwards. For example, a decision regarding a request for CME accreditation of the VAS course that took place in London last September should be obtained soon.

Dependent on the country in which a medical specialist works, physicians may apply for CME-credits by themselves in case an organizing congress committee has not submitted an application.  In this situation, a request form for accreditation should be obtained from the national society representing the physician’s specialty (e.g. the Dutch Society of Radiology) prior to or following the educational activity. Typically, CME-credits can only be awarded if:

1. the subject refers to the field the applicant is specialized in
2. there is an abstract book available
3. there is a list of participants available
4. participants receive a personal certificate
5. a request for accreditation is presented to the president of the Accreditation Committee of the involved specialty
6. an official programme is sent to the Accreditation Committee.

The VAS has made its goal to apply for CME accreditation for future vascular access conferences and courses organized by the Society. 

We would like to invite you to the General Assembly of the VAS on Wednesday 13 June 2007 from 12.30-13.30 hrs.  Important issues will be discussed and because of the regular retirement of some board members, we wish to ask full members to put themselves forward as candidates for the VAS Council. A letter of self-nomination should be sent to the secretary (marko.malovrh@kclj.si) before 31 May 2007.

Agenda

General Assembly Vascular Access Society
Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 12.30-13.30
Congress Centre, Nice Acropolis, Nice, France